No man can climb out beyond the limitations of his own character.
—John Morley, 1st Viscount Morley of Blackburn (1838–1923) British Writer, Journalist, Political Leader, Editor
Presumption is our natural and original malady. When I play with my cat, who knows if I am not a pastime to her more than she is to me.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation.
—Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) American Inventor, Entrepreneur, Businessperson
Those who’ll play with cats must expect to be scratched.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
I can’t write a book commensurate with Shakespeare, but I can write a book by me.
—Walter Raleigh (1552–1618) English Courtier, Navigator, Poet
We tend to get what we expect.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
The man with insight enough to admit his limitations comes nearest to perfection.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
To do all that one is able to do is to be a man; to do all that one would like to do is to be a god.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Some people expect the door of opportunity to be opened with an electric eye.
—Howard Hendricks (1924–2013) American Theology Teacher
The wise don’t expect to find life worth living; they make it that way.
—Unknown
From a broken violin do not expect fine music.
—Greek Proverb
We will always tend to fulfill our own expectation of ourselves.
—Brian Tracy (b.1944) American Author, Motivational Speaker
It is only fools who keep straining at high C all their lives.
—Charles Dudley Warner (1829–1900) American Essayist, Novelist
We set up harsh and unkind rules against ourselves. No one is born without faults. That man is best who has fewest.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Sometimes it is more important to discover what one cannot do, than what one can.
—Lin Yutang (1895–1976) Chinese Author, Philologist
Don’t expect from others what you can’t promise them yourself.
—Chinese Proverb
Blessed is he who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
He who awaits much can expect little.
—Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927–2014) Colombian Novelist, Short-Story Writer
You must not expect old heads upon young shoulders.
—English Proverb
Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness.
—Jean Vanier (1928–2019) French-Canadian Philosopher, Theologian, Humanitarian
Of all the young men in America only a few hundred can get into major league baseball, and of these only a handful in a decade can get into the Hall of Fame. So it goes in all human activity … Some become multimillionaires and chairmen of the board, and some of us must be content to play baseball at company picnics or manage a credit union without pay.
—William Feather (1889–1981) American Publisher, Author
We expect everything and are prepared for nothing.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Mystic, Writer
I hope to work, support my children and die quietly without pain.
—Sean Connery (1930–2020) Scottish Actor, Film Producer
I have done what I could do in life, and if I could not do better, I did not deserve it. In vain have I tried to step beyond what bound me. Despite my years, I am still trying.
—Maurice Maeterlinck (1862–1949) Belgian Poet, Playwright, Essayist
May God … let me strive for attainable things.
—Pindar (c.518–c.438 BCE) Greek Lyric Poet
What a pleasure life would be to live if everybody would try to do only half of what he expects others to do.
—William J. H. Boetcker (1873–1962) American Presbyterian Minister
We must expect everything and fear everything from time to time.
—Luc de Clapiers, marquis de Vauvenargues (1715–47) French Moralist, Essayist, Writer
We never live; we are always in the expectation of living.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one’s work seriously and taking one’s self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous.
—Margot Fonteyn (1919–91) British Ballet Dancer
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